Canto di primavera by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso

Canto di primavera by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, from 1979

I've talked about the great Banco at length in articles about a number of their albums, including their greatest masterpieces, and in the dedicated article "Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: The Most International Italian Progressive Rock."

"Canto di primavera" is a refined and melancholic album, a fusion of jazz, symphonic rock, and atmospheric folk rock with splendid keyboards and a good acoustic component. This melancholy is heightened by the thought that this is the album that marks the abandonment of progressive rock and the shift of the band's sound toward simpler and more captivating compositions, in song form.

The album contains 8 tracks in just 37 minutes.

- "Ciclo" is an instrumental piece that opens the album, energetic and melodic.

- "Canto di primavera," the title track, is one of the top tracks, a beautiful ballad with splendid vocals and piano, and featuring a great solo by Vittorio Nocenzi.
- "Sono la bestia," a beautiful rock song with great horns and syncopated, complex rhythms.
- "Niente," an instrumental piece with a beautiful instrumental passage that interrupts the melody and unexpectedly adds complexity.

- "E mi viene da pensare," is a beautiful, melodic piece with great emotional charge. Very moving.

- "Interno Città" is characterized by politically engaged lyrics and a beautiful instrumental performance.

- “Lungo il margine” a very emotional and melancholic instrumental piece with a central piano section.

- "Circobanda," a beautiful, dynamic instrumental piece with a positive, upbeat mood, closes the album.

An album composed when Banco was changing, this album has a different feel from its earlier albums, with folk influences and shorter songs, rather than long suites.

The title track is beautiful and unique: bucolic electro-acoustic sounds, the guitar arpeggio, the unique voice of Francesco Di Giacomo, who is an additional instrument, a beautiful piece.

The quality of the entire album is truly exceptional; not as high as the first three albums, but it's certainly a good record.

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.

Tracklist

1. Ciclo (4:20)
2. Canto Di Primavera (5:30)
3. Sono La Bestia (4:35)
4. Niente (4:00)
5. E Mi Viene Da Pensare (3:20)
6. Interno Citta' (6:30)
7. Lungo Il Margine (4:50)
8. Circobanda (5:30)

Duration 37:15

LineUp

- Francesco Di Giacomo - vocals
- Rodolfo Maltese - electric and acoustic guitars, charango, bouzouki, trumpet, horn
- Vittorio Nocenzi - keyboards, synthesizers
- Gianni Nocenzi - Yamaha electric piano, clarinet
- Gianni Colaiacomo - bass, fretless bass, 6-string bass
- Pierluigi Calderoni - drums, timpani, percussion

With:
- Luigi Cinque - soprano saxophone, harmonica, Mongolian harp
- George Aghedo - percussion